Statement of J. Brett Blanton

Architect of the Capitol 

Architect of the Capitol | U.S. Capitol | Washington, DC 20515 | 202.228.1793 | www.aoc.gov

Architect of the Capitol Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations

Statement before the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch, 

Committee on Appropriations, United States House of Representatives

April 27, 2022
Statement before the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch,

Committee on Appropriations, United States House of Representatives

Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations - 1

Chairman Ryan, Ranking Member Herrera Beutler and members of the Subcommittee, I 

appreciate the opportunity to present the Architect of the Capitol’s (AOC) Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 

budget request of $1.67 billion. 

As you know, the AOC supports the day-to-day operations of Congress, the Supreme Court and 

the Library of Congress. Carrying on traditions of unique craftsmanship and ingenuity, the AOC 

is responsible for the operations and care of more than 18.4 million square feet of facilities, 570

acres of grounds and thousands of works of art. The Capitol campus is home to 30,000 daily 

occupants, with more than 2,200 AOC employees serving around the clock in diverse roles to 

maintain and preserve the buildings and grounds. 

Recognizing the trust placed in us by Congress and the American people, the AOC team is 

committed to providing a safe and inspiring experience for all who visit and work at this 

cherished symbol of democracy. Fundamentally, the overall success of the AOC begins with our 

staff. Every day, I strive to create a positive environment where AOC employees have the skills, 

training, equipment and support to serve Congress and the Supreme Court on behalf of the 

American people. I am committed to ensuring workforce readiness and maximizing employees’ 

talents, skill sets and professional development. This budget emphasizes the importance of 

recruiting and retaining critical staff to accomplish this important work.

I. Capitol Security Comes First

Physical security is of paramount importance across the Capitol campus. Since my first day as 

Architect, physical security has been one of my top priorities. In close and continuous 

coordination with my counterparts at the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) and the House and Senate 

Sergeants at Arms, we are committed to making the Capitol campus as safe and open as possible.

The AOC’s FY 2023 budget request demonstrates a renewed emphasis to support the security 

needs throughout the Capitol campus. For this reason, security infrastructure projects constitute a 

significant portion of our budget request. As the Committee knows, the FY 2023 budget request 

reflects the urgent and significant recommendations of the comprehensive physical security 

assessment completed by the AOC on behalf of the Capitol Police Board. In the days ahead, I

will continue to work with my partners on the Capitol Police Board to address the top priorities 

arising from this assessment. Some of the projects will be implemented quickly, while the 

complexity of others will require more design and fabrication effort. At the same time, there is 

constant coordination between the AOC’s Chief Security Officer and the Capitol Police Board. 

Working together, we can achieve our shared mission and goals.

To that end, the AOC is requesting proportionate funds to support the USCP’s increased 

operations so that the USCP can fully implement its own programs and address pressing needs. 

This budget reflects how the AOC and USCP security improvement projects are intertwined and 

aligned. For example, the AOC seeks funding to improve direct communication lines with USCP 

related to incident management, security responses and coordination. In addition, the AOC is 

seeking funding to support emergency response, security and resilience requirements of the 
Statement before the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch,

Committee on Appropriations, United States House of Representatives

Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations - 2

AOC’s life, health and safety responsibilities to the Capitol Police Board. The requested funds 

will also provide necessary support for exigent requirements and special events that arise 

unexpectedly. Finally, the AOC is completing a design process for vestibules at the north and 

south entrances of the U.S. Capitol Building. The budget request includes funds for construction 

of these vestibules as well as the design of vestibules around the congressional office buildings. 

In addition, the AOC is requesting resources to address a finding by the AOC’s Inspector 

General regarding Emergency Management Training. With this requested funding, the AOC will 

be able to train and prepare AOC staff to respond to emergency situations, including natural 

disasters or other life safety emergency events. At the same time, the AOC is requesting

resources to provide rapid response support to unplanned critical security events as well as 

rapidly deployable security elements. The budget request also reflects the AOC’s ongoing efforts 

to improve cybersecurity and to protect our networks from any intrusion by malicious threats. 

The AOC maintains continuous 24/7 monitoring to detect and respond to any cyber incidents. 

Finally, this request reflects the AOC’s increased responsibility to acquire pandemic response 

materials.

We know our efforts are critical to the safety of Members and the staff working on the Capitol 

campus, and we are dedicated to ensuring continuity of operations. With the Committee’s full 

support, the AOC can fully achieve its responsibilities to support our partners as we work 

together to keep the campus safe and secure.

II. Tackling Deferred Maintenance with Modern Tools

I am continuing efforts to achieve transformative change across campus by deploying modern 

tools to tackle the challenges of aging facilities and infrastructure. Over the past two years, the 

pandemic has affected costs of all major projects in the form of supply chain shortages, raw 

material cost increases and increases in competition for skilled labor. 

The AOC’s capital budget request is focused on projects with immediate urgency. Project 

funding will support the lifespan of the facilities as well as address critical needs ranging from 

preserving priceless artwork to replacing roofs, installing emergency generators and improving 

campus security. The AOC’s priority projects are focused on needs where the period of useful 

life has already been exhausted or is approaching its end.

Looking ahead, we are working on solutions that will improve predictability of maintenance 

needs and create efficiencies that will save taxpayer dollars. With the Committee’s support, the 

AOC is launching a new Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) system that will provide a 

thorough asset management strategy to inform work priorities and provide for data-driven fiscal 

decisions and prioritization. Specifically, EAM will serve as a new tool to aid decision-making 

about operating, maintaining and renewing building and infrastructure assets such as machinery, 

vehicles and construction equipment. With sufficient resources for ongoing implementation, 

EAM will allow the AOC to manage maintenance-based strategies proactively, mitigate 

obsolescence, restore reliability, reduce long-term costs and forecast resource requirements. 
Statement before the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch,

Committee on Appropriations, United States House of Representatives

Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations - 3

EAM will also maximize return on investment while enhancing decision-making priorities. I am 

committed to implementing a disciplined, consistent approach to annual inspections and 

anticipating key infrastructure lifecycles. With this approach, the AOC can mitigate costs 

associated with deferred maintenance requirements.

Every day we work to preserve our historic and aging infrastructure for the benefit of future 

generations. At the same time, we are working tirelessly to upgrade our capabilities and facilities 

to meet the technological, space, sustainability and accessibility needs of a 21st-century 

workforce.

III. Maintaining a Safe Environment for All

The safety of everyone on the Capitol campus is a top priority. The budget request reflects 

prioritization of projects based on imminent needs. Life and safety issues, as well as components 

that are beyond their service life, are high on the list.

One critical area is the Capitol Power Plant’s requests to address utility tunnel repairs. Within 

the utility tunnels, deteriorating concrete and piping components need immediate repair to 

reduce the risk of tunnel failure. These repairs are urgent to avoid interruptions of electrical, 

water, steam and communications services to the Capitol campus for an extended period. 

In this area and others, we continue to dedicate time and attention to training, safety procedure

review and communications, and supervision of our workforce to ensure they are operating in the 

safest manner possible across the entire campus. Fire alarm and sprinkler system upgrades at the 

U.S. Capitol and other critical areas will address code deficiencies, reduce the risk of system 

failure and improve facility safety for building occupants.

This year, we initiated the Building Official program, contracting with dedicated experts to 

ensure stakeholders follow the same set of established building codes and consistent processes

for permitting. The FY 2023 budget request includes funding to expand the Building Official 

program beyond initial pilots, implementing it more broadly and providing staffing and 

resources for technically sound code reviews of construction efforts in AOC-managed facilities. 

This effort will identify performance standards to increase transparency and provide quantifiable 

standards linking service needs to resource requirements, ultimately contributing to a safer

working environment in every facility. 

Dedicated experts will ensure that established building codes and permits will be tracked for all 

construction and infrastructure work with a centralized data, management and oversight system. 

These procedures can be implemented for numerous projects to repair components and 

infrastructure that are at or beyond their service life. For example, planned projects include fire 

suppression system replacements and roof repairs on several buildings. Another example is 

reflected in the funding request for the kitchen and exhaust system on the House side of the U.S. 
Statement before the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch,

Committee on Appropriations, United States House of Representatives

Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations - 4

Capitol to accomplish exhaust upgrades and necessary improvements to dated electrical and 

plumbing systems. 

The AOC is also seeking funds to begin asbestos removal in the Rayburn Building hallway 

ceilings. While the asbestos in the ceilings is safe if undisturbed, new coats of paint are no longer 

an effective mitigation due to the weight extra layers of paint will place on the ceiling surfaces. 

With the FY 2023 request, the AOC is seeking to begin the first year of a 10-year project to

remove asbestos in the most safe, efficient and cost-effective manner possible. Rather than 

proceeding with piecemeal abatement, the AOC will achieve greater results by removing all the 

asbestos at one time in designated hallways in a phased approach during the course of the project 

by setting up appropriate safety measures and HEPA filtration in the planned work area. 

Accessibility also remains a top priority, with accessibility considerations incorporated into 

every project. For example, as part of the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory Security Upgrade 

Project, the AOC is planning to install automatic door openers to improve accessibility. Several 

of the FY 2023 Line-Item Construction Projects incorporate accessibility work, including the 

Rayburn Building’s west plaza courtyard waterproofing restoration project. This project will 

address waterproofing components that are more than 50 years old and have exceeded their 

lifespan of 15-20 years. Water has infiltrated and damaged stairwells in the lobbies below. As 

part of the project, there will be improved accessibility through a ramp extension, and the 

landscape will be restored to its original design, consistent with the House Office Buildings 

Complex Cultural Landscape Report.

The AOC is also focused on sustainability and energy conservation efforts that prioritize 

resource conservation. In fact, over the last 15 years, the AOC has reduced its energy intensity 

levels by 50 percent, reducing energy requirements and ultimately saving taxpayer dollars. 

Through its practices, the AOC sequestered 700,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, saved nearly 8 

million gallons of water, and saved over 250,000 kilowatt-hours of energy on an annual basis. 

In addition, the AOC continues to improve recycling programs, not only for personal use inside 

facilities but also on construction sites. For example, the AOC diverted 10,000 tons of 

construction and demolition debris from the landfill, recycling 98 percent of all construction 

debris generated. We also continue to implement sustainable groundskeeping practices such as 

reducing water demand by capturing runoff and using native plants and perennials. 

Looking to the future, the AOC will begin work on an updated Capitol Complex Master Plan, 

which will serve as a foundational document for master planning over the next 20 years. The 

master plan will also incorporate findings and recommendations of the AOC’s ongoing

Transportation and Mobility Study. With the Committee’s support, these reports will set forth a 

robust vision for future generations. 
Statement before the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch,

Committee on Appropriations, United States House of Representatives

Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations - 5

IV. Pushing Past the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic still permeates AOC operations and projects. As the Congress labors 

day and night, AOC employees are working nonstop to keep the entire campus clean, sanitized 

and well maintained to enable Members of Congress and congressional staff to do their jobs 

safely. The AOC team continues to meet campus needs by serving as the legislative branch 

purchasing agent for PPE, managing the specialized cleaning of spaces, and ensuring the 

facilities and utilities are well maintained for ongoing and future congressional needs. 

As the Committee is aware, we are now welcoming school groups back to the U.S. Capitol. As 

we plan to welcome even more visitors back, we look forward to the launch of the CVC’s 

Exhibition Hall Redesign Project later this year. This project aims to provide visitors with an 

engaging environment to learn about the legislative process and democracy. We look forward to 

welcoming students of all ages to this wonderful new space. 

The U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) also remains a treasured public institution. With the 

Committee’s encouragement, we seek to continue the USBG’s Urban Agriculture Program, 

which provides educational resources, training for veterans, capacity building programs with 

other public gardens, and educator professional development programming. In a short period, 

this program achieved demonstrated success to support communities facing food access 

challenges. In addition, the USBG is also requesting funding to complete design of a new

Production Facility Renewal Project. With resources for substantial renovation and renewal of 

this critical support facility, the USBG can continue to achieve key goals related to horticulture, 

operations and maintenance, education and outreach, and sustainability. 

V. Conclusion

The AOC has made significant progress on our transformational efforts. As I have testified 

previously, delayed funding for projects has consequences, and we need adequate, consistent 

funding for ongoing improvements. Otherwise, we may face vulnerabilities associated with the 

deterioration and deferred improvements of these historic buildings and treasured grounds. 

We need to work together to adopt a multi-year approach for planning, design and execution of 

major projects. This budget submission also reflects agencywide efforts to transform the AOC by 

adopting a more predictive approach to facilities maintenance. 

Across the board, I am committed to leading the agency in long-term, strategic planning that will 

prepare the campus for the next century. With your ongoing support, we can protect and preserve 

this cherished institution as well as all of those who serve here. 

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of our FY 2023 budget request, and I look forward 

to the opportunity to address any questions.